Process for making a golf ball with a built-in sensor

ABSTRACT

A process for making a golf ball includes steps of: a) providing a spherical hollow core which is made from a deformable resilient material, which defines a central chamber, and which includes left and right hemispherical bodies with contiguous circular surfaces having separated upper segments movable away from each other to permit placement of a sensing assembly into the central chamber, b) molding an intermediate shell layer at an elevated temperature that is lower than a softening point of the deformable resilient material to enclose the spherical hollow core, and c) molding a cover to enclose the intermediate shell layer.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of Taiwanese Patent Application No.105140994, filed on Dec. 12, 2016.

FIELD

The disclosure relates to a process for making a golf ball, and moreparticularly to a process for making a golf ball with a built-in sensor.

BACKGROUND

With increasing miniaturization and progress in sensing modules andcommunication technologies, a chip module such as a sensing module oracommunication module is widely used in various application fields forimmediate addressing and information measurement of an object. Forexample, the sensing module or the communication module may be installedin a golf ball to obtain information regarding the speed, the positionand the like of the golf ball such that it is convenient for a golfplayer to track the flying trajectory of the golf ball and/or find thelanding position of the golf ball.

A cell is usually installed along with the chip module in the golf ballso as to provide electric power for the chip module. However, since thegolf ball is made by compression molding at a temperature that isusually above 150° C., the cell and the chip module are likely to bedamaged due to direct contact with a high temperature molding materialfor making the golf ball.

SUMMARY

An object of the disclosure is to provide a process for making a golfball to overcome the aforesaid disadvantage of the prior art.

According to the disclosure, there is provided a process for making agolf ball with a built-in sensing assembly, comprising steps of:

a) providing a spherical hollow core which is made from a deformableresilient material and which defines a central chamber configured tofittingly accommodate a sensing assembly, the spherical hollow coreincluding opposite left and right hemispherical bodies respectivelyhaving left and right circular surfaces contiguous with each other,

-   -   the left circular surface including        -   a left cavity which extends leftward to terminate at a left            abutment surface, and which extends in an            upward-and-downward direction to terminate at a left ceiling            surface and a left bottom surface, the left cavity serving            as a left chamber half, and        -   upper and lower segments which are diametrically symmetrical            to each other, and which border the left ceiling surface and            the left bottom surface, respectively,    -   the right circular surface including        -   a right cavity which extends rightward to terminate at a            right abutment surface, and which extends in the            upward-and-downward direction to terminate at a right            ceiling surface and a right bottom surface, the right cavity            serving as a right chamber half which mates with the left            chamber half to form the central chamber, and        -   upper and lower segments which are diametrically symmetrical            to each other, and which border the right ceiling surface            and the right bottom surface, respectively,

wherein

the upper segments of the left and right circular surfaces are separatedby a dividing plane which extends into the central chamber such that theupper segments of the left and right circular surfaces are movable awayfrom each other to permit placement of the sensing assembly into thecentral chamber while vesting the left and right hemispherical bodieswith a biasing force to bias the upper segments of the left and rightcircular surfaces to move toward each other;

b) molding an intermediate shell layer at an elevated temperature thatis lower than a softening point of the deformable resilient material toenclose the spherical hollow core; and

c) molding a cover to enclose the intermediate shell layer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent inthe following detailed description of the embodiment(s) with referenceto the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of a process for making a golfball with a built-in sensing assembly according to the disclosure;

FIGS. 2 to 5 are schematic sectional views showing consecutive steps ofthe embodiment; and

FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional view of a golf ball made by theembodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As shown in FIG. 1, an embodiment of a process for making a golf ballwith a built-in sensing assembly according to the disclosure includessteps of a) providing a spherical hollow core 3, b) molding anintermediate shell layer, and c) molding a cover.

Reference is made to FIGS. 2 and 3. The spherical hollow core 3 is madefrom a deformable resilient material and defines a central chamber 31configured to fittingly accommodate a sensing assembly 4. The deformableresilient material may be selected from the group consisting of an epoxyresin, rubber, and a combination thereof. The spherical hollow core 3includes opposite left and right hemispherical bodies 33, 34respectively having left and right circular surfaces 35, 36 contiguouswith each other.

The left circular surface 35 has a left cavity 37, and upper and lowersegments 354, 355. The left cavity 37 extends leftward to terminate at aleft abutment surface 351, and extends in an upward-and-downwarddirection to terminate at a left ceiling surface 352 and a left bottomsurface 353. The left cavity 37 serves as a left chamber half. The upperand lower segments 354, 355 are diametrically symmetrical to each other,and border the left ceiling surface 352 and the left bottom surface 353,respectively.

The right circular surface 36 has a right cavity 38, and upper and lowersegments 364, 365. The right cavity 38 extends rightward to terminate ata right abutment surface 361, and extends in the upward-and-downwarddirection to terminate at a right ceiling surface 362 and a right bottomsurface 363. The right cavity 38 serves as a right chamber half whichmates with the left chamber half to form the central chamber 31. Theupper and lower segments 364, 365 are diametrically symmetrical to eachother, and border the right ceiling surface 362 and the right bottomsurface 363, respectively.

The upper segments 354, 364 of the left and right circular surfaces 35,36 are separated by a dividing plane 32, which extends into the centralchamber 31 such that the upper segments 354, 364 of the left and rightcircular surfaces 35, 36 are movable away from each other to permitplacement of the sensing assembly 4 into the central chamber 31 whilevesting the left and right hemispherical bodies 33, 34 with a biasingforce to bias the upper segments 354, 364 of the left and right circularsurfaces 35, 36 to move toward each other. A gravity center of thesensing assembly 4 coincides with a center of the spherical hollow core3 after the sensing assembly 4 is fittingly accommodated in thespherical hollow core 3.

Referring to FIG. 4, in step c), the spherical hollow core 3 fittinglyaccommodating the sensing assembly 4 is placed within a first mold 5which includes a first upper mold part 51, a first lower mold part 52cooperating with the first upper mold part 51 to define a first moldcavity 55, a plurality of first pins 53 removably inserted into thefirst mold cavity 55 through the first upper mold part 51 and the firstlower mold part 52, and a first guiding passage 54 provided in the firstupper mold part 51 and fluidly communicating with the first mold cavity55. After the spherical hollow core 3 fittingly accommodating thesensing assembly 4 is fixed in the first mold cavity 55 by the firstpins 53 so as to form a first molding space defined by the sphericalhollow core 3 and the first upper and lower mold parts 51, 52, a firstmolding material in a fluidic state is introduced into the first moldingspace through the first guiding passage 54 at an elevated temperaturethat is lower than a softening point of the deformable resilientmaterial of the spherical hollow core 3, followed by cooling to form anintermediate shell layer 6 which encloses the spherical hollow core 3.The first molding material for the intermediate shell layer 6 isselected from the group consisting of natural rubber, ionomer, and acombination thereof.

Referring to FIG. 5, in step d), the intermediate shell layer 6 whichencloses the spherical hollow core 3 fittingly accommodating the sensingassembly 4 is placed within a second mold 7 which includes a secondupper mold part 71, a second lower mold part 72 cooperating with thesecond upper mold part 71 to define a second mold cavity 75, a pluralityof second pins 73 removably inserted into the second mold cavity 75through the second upper mold part 71 and the second lower mold part 72,and a second guiding passage 74 provided in the second upper mold part71 and fluidly communicating with the second mold cavity 75. After theintermediate shell layer 6 which encloses the spherical hollow core 3fittingly accommodating the sensing assembly 4 is fixed in the secondmold cavity 75 by the second pins 73 so as to form a second moldingspace defined by the intermediate shell layer 6 and the second upper andlower mold parts 71, 72, a second molding material in a fluidic state isintroduced into the second molding space through the second guidingpassage 74, followed by cooling to form a cover 8 which encloses theintermediate shell layer 6 so as to obtain a golf ball 1 shown in FIG.6. The second molding material for the cover 8 is selected from thegroup consisting of thermoplastic polyurethane, ionomer, and acombination thereof.

Since the sensing assembly 4 is placed in the central chamber 31 of thespherical hollow core 3 which is made from a deformable resilientmaterial having a softening point higher than the elevated temperatureat which the intermediate shell layer 6 is molded, the sensing assembly4 which includes the chip module 41 and the battery 42 will not bedamaged in the course of molding the intermediate shell layer 6. Inaddition, since the gravity center of the sensing assembly 4 coincideswith the center of the spherical hollow core 3 after the sensingassembly 4 is fittingly accommodated in the spherical hollow core 3, thegolf ball 1 thus made may fly stably after being struck.

In the description above, for the purposes of explanation, numerousspecific details have been set forth in order to provide a thoroughunderstanding of the embodiment(s). It will be apparent, however, to oneskilled in the art, that one or more other embodiments may be practicedwithout some of these specific details. It should also be appreciatedthat reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “anembodiment,” an embodiment with an indication of an ordinal number andso forth means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristicmay be included in the practice of the disclosure. It should be furtherappreciated that in the description, various features are sometimesgrouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereoffor the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in theunderstanding of various inventive aspects.

While the disclosure has been described in connection with what is (are)considered the exemplary embodiment(s), it is understood that thisdisclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiment(s) but is intendedto cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope ofthe broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modificationsand equivalent arrangements.

What is claimed is:
 1. A process for making a golf ball with a built-insensing assembly, comprising steps of: a) providing a spherical hollowcore which is made from a deformable resilient material and whichdefines a central chamber configured to fittingly accommodate a sensingassembly, the spherical hollow core including opposite left and righthemispherical bodies respectively having left and right circularsurfaces contiguous with each other, the left circular surface includinga left cavity which extends leftward to terminate at a left abutmentsurface, and which extends in an upward-and-downward direction toterminate at a left ceiling surface and a left bottom surface, the leftcavity serving as a left chamber half, and upper and lower segmentswhich are diametrically symmetrical to each other, and which border theleft ceiling surface and the left bottom surface, respectively, theright circular surface including a right cavity which extends rightwardto terminate at a right abutment surface, and which extends in theupward-and-downward direction to terminate at a right ceiling surfaceand a right bottom surface, the right cavity serving as a right chamberhalf which mates with the left chamber half to form the central chamber,and upper and lower segments which are diametrically symmetrical to eachother, and which border the right ceiling surface and the right bottomsurface, respectively, wherein the upper segments of the left and rightcircular surfaces are separated by a dividing plane which extends intothe central chamber such that the upper segments of the left and rightcircular surfaces are movable away from each other to permit placementof the sensing assembly into the central chamber while vesting the leftand right hemispherical bodies with a biasing force to bias the uppersegments of the left and right circular surfaces to move toward eachother; b) molding an intermediate shell layer at an elevated temperaturethat is lower than a softening point of the deformable resilientmaterial to enclose the spherical hollow core; and c) molding a cover toenclose the intermediate shell layer.
 2. The method according to claim1, wherein a gravity center of the sensing assembly coincides with acenter of the spherical hollow core after the sensing assembly isfittingly accommodated in the spherical hollow core.
 3. The methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the deformable resilient material isselected from the group consisting of an epoxy resin, rubber, and acombination thereof.
 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein theintermediate shell layer is made from a material selected from the groupconsisting of natural rubber, ionomer material, and a combinationthereof.
 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cover is madefrom a material selected from the group consisting of thermoplasticpolyurethane, ionomer, and a combination thereof.
 6. The methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the sensing assembly includes a chipmodule and a battery.
 7. The method according to claim 6, wherein thechip module is selected from the group consisting of a sensing module, acommunication module, and a combination thereof.
 8. A golf ball made bythe method according to claim 1.